Two rookies for Rebels
The Rebels have named rookies Jordy Reid and Paul Alo-Emile to make their Rebels and Super Rugby starting debuts against the Cheetahs on Saturday.
Rebels captain Gareth Delve said the team are looking forward to Saturday's game, on the back of their record loss to the Sharks last week.
"We've reviewed [last] Saturday's game [against the Sharks] completely honestly," Delve said.
Everybody was happy to put their hand up for the mistakes they made."
Whilst the Sharks brought an impressive sense of physicality to Kings Park, the Cheetahs will provide an altogether different style, and coach Damien Hill has rung the changes in an attempt to combat that.
"Both Jordy Reid and Paul Alo-Emile will come into the starting side and get opportunities in that starting fifteen based on their cameos off the bench over the last three or four games, but particularly their efforts when they came on against the Sharks," Hill said.
"In many ways, the Cheetahs will be an even bigger challenge than the Sharks were. They play a more expansive game, and it will be very hard up at high altitude."
Scott Higginbotham and Mitch Inman appear to have shaken off fitness concerns and will line up against the Cheetahs, having been named in the Rebels' starting side.
"Scott came through really well, and Mitch was ill yesterday but appears to be good today," Hill said. "Both players have looked after themselves, and we are fit and ready to go."
The Rebels are also having to deal with the controversy surround Wallabies Kurtley Beale and Cooper Vuna, who were both sent home after an altercation on the team bus last week.
Beale has since been stood down indefinitely, while Vuna has been banned for one match.
"Media fallout over the last couple of days has allowed us to be aware of the disappointment of fans and members back in Melbourne," Delve said.
"Everyone's excited to get out there and right some of the wrongs from last weekend.
"We've got a massive opportunity to turn things around and I'm expecting a big response from the players this week."
Rebels: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Richard Kingi, 13 Mitch Inman, 12 Lachlan Mitchell, 11 Jason Woodward, 10 Angus Roberts, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Jordy Reid, 6 Gareth Delve (captain), 5 Luke Jones, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Paul Alo-Emile, 2 Ged Robinson, 1 Nic Henderson.
Replacements: 16 Shota Horie, 17 Laurie Weeks, 18 Cadeyrn Neville, 19 Jarrod Saffy, 20 Scott Fuglistaller, 21 Nic Stirzaker, 22 Rory Sidey, 23 Tom English.
Date: Saturday, March 30
Venue: Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein
Kick-off: 17.05 (02.05 Sunday, March 31 AEST; 15.05 GMT)
Referee: Glen Jackson
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe, Stefan Breytenbach
TMO: Johan Greeff
